Ammunition cartridge casing
An ammunition cartridge casing is provided having a primer body and a casing body. The primer body has an inner primer portion and an outer primer portion configured to nest in conformance with an outer surface of the inner primer portion. The outer surface of the inner primer portion provides a circumferential trench having a radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portion contiguous with an axially extending circumferential wall portion. The casing body has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. The proximal end portion of the casing body is interposed between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion within the trench having an interlocked axially extending circumferential portion and an interlocked radially outwardly extending disc portion of the casing body entrapped between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion. A method is also provided.
This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/220,919 filed Jul. 12, 2021, entitled “Ammunition Casing and Method”.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure pertains to the field of ammunition. More particularly, this disclosure relates to ammunition cartridge casings having at least two component parts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTraditional cartridge casings for ammunition are made from brass. Recently, attempts have been made to change materials and cartridge casings have been made having at least two components and including a junction or connecting joint. Improvements are needed in order to provide for increased combustion pressures in such cartridge casings to meet the demands of future ammunition performance requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn ammunition cartridge casing is provided for use in manufacturing ammunition. A joint is used to lock together a multiple component base, or case rim with a cartridge casing wall that has geometric features to lock together the casing wall and the base in assembly. A method of manufacturing an ammunition cartridge casing and ammunition is also provided.
According to one aspect, an ammunition cartridge casing is provided having a primer body and a casing body. The primer body has an inner primer portion and an outer primer portion configured to nest in conformance with an outer surface of the inner primer portion. The outer surface of the inner primer portion provides a circumferential trench having a radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portion contiguous with an axially extending circumferential wall portion. The casing body has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. The proximal end portion of the casing body is interposed between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion within the trench having an interlocked axially extending circumferential portion and an interlocked radially outwardly extending disc portion of the casing body entrapped between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion.
According to another aspect, a method is provided for forming an ammunition cartridge, including: providing a primer body having an inner primer portion and an outer primer portion and a casing body having a proximal portion configured to nest in conformance with an outer surface of the inner primer portion, the outer surface of the inner primer portion providing a circumferential trench having a radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portion contiguous with an axially extending circumferential wall portion; inserting the proximal portion of the casing body within the circumferential trench between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion; and mechanically urging together the inner primer portion, the proximal portion of the casing body and the outer primer portion to impart a mechanical interlock.
Preferred embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
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For the purposes of explaining the cartridge casings 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 and 510 of
The casing wall (32, 132, 232 and 323), according to some constructions, will be formed through deep draw, extrusion, injection molding, or lathe turning including Swiss turns. The most optimal way of forming this part is deep draw. The key component to this in our case design is a very thin, yet uniform wall. The material will likely be stainless steel or cartridge brass. It could also be comprised of plastic, composite materials, aluminum, ferrous metals and we should include copper. These are less likely to be used, especially copper.
The portion of casing 10, 110, 210 and 310 locked in the joint 13, 113, 213 and 313 forms a web that will be formed through deep draw, swaging, turning, injection molding to include metal-injection-molding (MIM) and amorphous metal. It can also include 3D printing using advancements that are taking place in that arena.
The multiple part base, or case rim 12, 112, 212 and 312 will be formed through turning, swaging, mechanical working of metal parts, injection molding (MIM or amorphous), but likely not plastic, though it can be included in some instances. Swaging and turning are the primary ways to form. It will be comprised of aluminum, steel, brass, plastic, amorphous metal. Steel is one optimal material.
The terms “a”, “an”, and “the” as used in the claims herein are used in conformance with long-standing claim drafting practice and not in a limiting way. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an”, and “the” are not limited to one of such elements, but instead mean “at least one”.
In compliance with the statute, embodiments of the invention have been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the entire invention is not limited to the specific features and/or embodiments shown and/or described, since the disclosed embodiments comprise forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
Claims
1. An ammunition cartridge casing, comprising:
- a primer body having an inner primer portion and an outer primer portion, an outer surface of the inner primer portion providing a circumferential trench having a radially outwardly extending first circumferential wall portion, a radially outwardly extending second circumferential wall portion, and an axially extending circumferential wall portion extending contiguously between the first circumferential wall portion and the second circumferential wall portion, the outer primer portion configured to nest in conformance within the circumferential trench; and
- a casing body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion of the casing body interposed in nested conformance between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion within the trench to interlock a complementary axially extending circumferential wall portion and complementary first and second circumferential wall portions of the casing body between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion.
2. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 1, wherein the inner primer portion of the primer body comprises a U-shaped trench having a pair of radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portions and an axially extending circumferential wall portion interposed between the pair of radially inwardly extending circumferential wall portions.
3. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 2, wherein the outer primer portion of the primer body comprises a cylindrical outer rim body having a radially inwardly extending circumferential flange configured to nest in press fit relation with the proximal end portion of the casing body within the circumferential trench of the inner primer body portion.
4. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 3, wherein the pair of radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portions are substantially parallel.
5. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 3, wherein the radially inwardly extending circumferential flange comprises a folded radial innermost flange portion of the radially extending circumferential flange.
6. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 3, wherein the radially extending circumferential flange comprises a ring-shaped radially inwardly extending circumferential bulkhead formed with the proximal end portion of the casing wall circumferentially within the trench of the inner primer portion to form a mechanical press fit interlocking joint between the casing body and the primer body.
7. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 2, wherein each of the pair of radially inwardly extending circumferential wall portions of the inner primer portion of the primer body extend at a right angle to the axially extending circumferential wall portion of the inner primer portion of the primer body.
8. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 1, wherein the interlocked axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body and the interlocked radially outwardly extending disc portion of the casing body extend at a right angle to one another.
9. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 8, wherein another radially extending wall portion of the casing body is formed contiguous with the axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body spaced at an opposed end of the axially extending circumferential wall portion.
10. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 9, wherein the radially extending wall portions of the casing body and the axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body are interlocked in a mechanical deformation forming operation between the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion of the primer body to form a circumferential lock joint.
11. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 1, wherein one of the inner primer portion and the outer primer portion of the primer body is made from one metal or metal alloy and the casing body is made from another metal or metal alloy different from the one metal or metal alloy.
12. An ammunition cartridge casing, comprising:
- a primer body having an inner primer portion with an inner ring portion and an outer primer portion with an outer ring portion, the outer ring portion having an inner surface configured to nest in conformance with an outer surface of the inner ring portion, the outer surface of the inner ring portion providing a circumferential trench having a radially outwardly extending first circumferential wall portion, a radially outwardly extending second circumferential wall portion, and an axially extending circumferential wall portion; and
- a casing body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion of the casing body interposed between the inner ring portion and the outer ring portion within the trench having an axially extending circumferential portion and a radially outwardly extending wall portion of the casing body interlocked between the inner ring portion and the outer ring portion.
13. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, wherein the inner ring portion comprises a hub having a radially inwardly extending trench.
14. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 13, wherein the outer ring portion comprises a radially inwardly extending circumferential wall portion configured to nest with a portion of the proximal end portion of the casing body within the trench.
15. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 14, wherein the radially inwardly extending circumferential wall portion of the outer ring portion nests in press fit relation with the proximal end portion of the casing wall within the circumferential trench of the inner ring portion.
16. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, wherein the inner ring portion of the inner primer portion and the outer ring portion of the outer primer portion cooperate with the proximal end portion of the casing body to form an ammunition casing joint.
17. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 16, wherein the proximal end portion of the casing body is interposed between the inner ring portion and the outer ring portion within the trench to provide an interlocked axially extending circumferential portion and an interlocked radially outwardly extending wall portion of the casing body.
18. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 16, wherein the outer surface of the inner ring portion of the inner primer portion comprises a U-shaped trench having a pair of radially outwardly extending circumferential wall portions and an axially extending circumferential portion interposed between the pair of radially inwardly extending circumferential wall portions.
19. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 18, wherein the radially inwardly extending circumferential flange is a press-fit and mechanically deformed circumferential flange provided in stacked relation with the proximal end portion of the casing wall within the U-shaped trench of the inner ring portion of the inner primer portion.
20. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 18, wherein the inner surface of the outer ring portion of the outer primer portion comprises a cylindrical outer rim body having a radially inwardly extending circumferential flange configured to nest in press fit relation with the proximal end portion of the casing wall within the circumferential trench of the inner primer body portion.
21. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, wherein the deformed circumferential flange comprises a ring-shaped radially inwardly extending circumferential bulkhead formed with the proximal end portion of the casing wall circumferentially within the trench of the inner ring portion of the inner primer portion to form a mechanical press fit interlocking joint between the casing body and the primer body.
22. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, wherein the interlocked axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body and the interlocked radially outwardly extending wall portion of the casing body extend at a right angle to one another.
23. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, further comprising another radially extending wall portion provided along the casing body formed contiguous with the axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body spaced at an opposed end of the axially extending circumferential wall portion to form a ferrule portion.
24. The ammunition cartridge casing of claim 12, wherein the radially extending wall portions of the casing body and the axially extending circumferential wall portion of the casing body are interlocked in a mechanical deformation forming operation to form a circumferential lock joint along the ferrule portion of the casing body.
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3874294 | April 1975 | Hale |
3977326 | August 31, 1976 | Anderson |
10866072 | December 15, 2020 | Imhoff |
11067370 | July 20, 2021 | Imhoff |
20190242679 | August 8, 2019 | Viggiano et al. |
313560 | June 1929 | HU |
WO 2023/003728 | January 2023 | WO |
PCT/US2022/036866 | January 2024 | WO |
- PCT Written Opinion.
Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 12, 2022
Date of Patent: Apr 29, 2025
Patent Publication Number: 20230016440
Assignee: Next Level Cartridge Company, LLC (Post Falls, ID)
Inventor: Joshua Mahnke (Post Falls, ID)
Primary Examiner: James S Bergin
Application Number: 17/863,147
International Classification: F42B 5/285 (20060101); F42B 33/00 (20060101); F42C 19/08 (20060101);